The Brazosport Facts from Freeport, Texas • Page 2

Sectlor, Piget Centralization has meant specialization (Continued from l) "What removed," the county judge said, "for example, the Jamaica Corporation Is not now able to talk (Oomr. Jimmy) Vacek into building them a road without telling the others (other members of Commissioners Court). "Now, this has to be brought up in court, and the court takes a vote on putting the road (as proposed by Vacek) in the priority system. Concerning ihe county engineer's role, Judge Holbrook said that "all the road administrator is, is an expert on road manager of men in carrying out the road and bridge projects." Unlike in Braioria County, where civic groups campaigned for the Optional Road Law over the bitter opposition of commissioners, the Galveston County move toward this law was done at No Matter How Muck uou'U s-fill ood and Th (Specials good at both places, SUNDAY through SATURDAYS Something New! 3 Stuffed Shrimp Onion Rings, Small Salad Texas Toast 05 FRIED CHICKEN 3 TACOS our own! Chicken Fried Steak TEXAS TOAST FRENCH FRIE1 CRAVT IMALt Burger Basket and Coke MALTS Any Flavor 24 8oz. Ribeye lull.

OMM rttocti Tnn SHtAtl S4t44 Open 7 Days a HIGHWAY 288 "Nesi to Bottom Dollar' F5 PHONE 265-2841 or 265-2652 ON THE ROAD TO SURFSIDE 233-2812 the urging of a commissioner. Comr. Paul Hopkins proposed the Optional Road Uw lor Ihe county, and Ihe county judge agreed to study it. This was In 1966. During the period of study, the Galveston Doily News ran a series of articles, pointing out the abuses of money and authority resulting from the precinct system.

The News got down to specifics in private-interest roads and boondoggling. Joel Kllpa trick, reporter for the News, joined the interview. "We took pictures of (Comr. Irwin) Uantin's crews, where they used beach sand for fill after laying a culvert. While they were at It.

they put about four feet of fill on an adjoining tract of land. Soon afterward, a motel was buili there." The News asked Oantin about this. "The sand must have blown over there," Oantm told the News. "That made for an interesting headline." Kilpatrick said A year before this interview. a comparable incident in BraMna County had aroused new Hraiajpoct interest in the Optional Uw a IK! had illustrated the ease with which public fumfe could be made to further the commissioner's personal interests, under the precinct road system This was the controversial construction of Dixie Drive, which a southward extension of the Lake Jackson Loop County Road 28S.

Right-of-way for the extension was personalty obtained by Comr. Dixie Brown Immediately after the filing deadline passed without an opponent for Brown, the precinct road crews wtre at work clearing the road, although there was no money in the budget for this project (in fact, budget luted'no money spcot for C'K 284. and provided no funds that year for the road). Brown personally supervised the road's construction Checking the The Facts found that Comr. Brown owned the five-acre tract split by Dixie Drive at cts intersection with Highway 332.

Brown contended that the read dtvaulrd his property by II. and Ownrs. Henry JonUn and John GayleJr. backfdhlm up. But Jhrre prominent advised The Facts lhat Ihe read greatly increased the land's property.

A fuel distributor estimated thai service station sites, each segment was worth $30,000 Kvrn that extlmate proved low, year one of the segments, barely owr acres, was bought by developers for a shopping center at a price of 178,000. After the Galveston Daily News revelations of funds under the precinct system, there was a countywide straw vole on the Optional Road Uw, akmg with an official proposal of a 30- cent special toad A heavy majority favored the Optional Moad Uw. and the road tax was also approved That swung two com- to support of thr law-'ltantm and Vactk and it was Utrr atiiptrd in an official election Before the odlcwl etectum was callrtl, Court was prrnrntrd a dftalled rrport ot a atuttv inodf at lo how thr Optiotul Hoad Uw would operate in County. the prrcintt thro in operation, the itudy nutrtl, "each (Wfcinel, txnng a separate adminutrative ami monaKertat entity, mtut have tools which not in comiani use, but are only oc LET'S TELL IT LIKE IT IS! It's now come out publicly that H. A.

Thomas (recently resigned tax assessor) is blessing his successor. Now we know why the resignation the reasons, I believe, leading to the opening of the filing after legal filing date. A Deal? A manipulation of the election? A promise of "No Change" your continuous carrying of the burden of taxes, the discourtesy and apathy. VOTE "CHANGE" VOTE DOROTHY McADA IPD. POt.

ADV.) "Heavy equipmeni tentrttmrt Iw-i in prrcinct whrn a suntktr pirtrr in another, or heuvy itjuipmrtii by or 1 which indicatri there could an uneconomical tnvntmrnt In (cob and njuipntrnt tt (m to kef ami maintain A ctwnplrte or in trf 4ntl (xrrionftvl that cacti precinct (or all frequently specialiied Jobit have to (armed out or cunlractni Idea." Judge HottirwA lold Ttw Facto, lhat thx- unit sjrstrm wtxdd allow un to ami department. If ihrrr wad a major job, wr coutd wur all We could use tpecial li.ll Is whrrr Ihry wrre nretlcd The Optional Ko4d Law is alto rrfrrrrd to unit jystrtn lljving one ctep4rtmrnt doesn't mean having alt equipment in one place, hr said- There would be a central biMdquaftm for uV road department, but other lijfx-nj) arras lor machinery near In the report. noted that "Some of UV vantages of the Unit are the supervision of road work by a skilled profcmional avil engineer, and the pooling of funds, equipment and labor for their more efficient use in accordance with count) wtrfe road needs." Under Ihe Optional Road Uw. the study noted "the WHY DO FIVE FULL TIME LOBBYISTS FROM HOUSTON HAVE SUCH A KEEN INTEREST IN DEFEATING NEIL NEIL CALDWELL AND "THE 30 FOUGHT MUTSCHER AND THE LOBBY. IFS THAT SIMPLE APV TO IHi County Road Engineer or Administrator would the function of giving a sense of direction to the overall read program and see lhat the quality of road work It standardized between precineti and meets established standards of performance" But most of all.

the report reiterated, "One of the primary and greatest benefits to be derived from the County Unit Hoad System to the pooling of funds, equipment and labor, and the ex labtishmeni of policies ami procedures for a road program thai would be carried out by experienced, dedicated and qualified p-opte I be public will know exactly what to espnl of road and programs with respect to the type and quality of roads to be rural rucled and Ihe location and of curotruction There was a tourer tW irritation for Judge llotbrook under the precinct system "I don't care to run a road system," he said, "but I have the one county-wtuV office on the court tlefore, I had no voter tn the county't I think Mow, I have one of Ihrm would want to fo bock," The Judge didn't mention one basis for the court's present altitude of cooperation on the Optional Road Uw. In IWW and 1970, voters applied a political solution to dissent, by dscanlmg Dantin and Vacek In favor of candidates who adracaled complying with the law. Commissioners Court policy. Judge Hotbrook said, requires that decisions on all roads are made at open meetings. Since the road administrator allowed to perform onty routine main on hit own.

without court approval, the public gams a full upending for alt road projects from rrporU ef Com- mtatonm Court meetings Cent radiation also meant sperialiiation, the jinfer said "For paving, we have the same rrtfw llutl JUKI thin work, Thw (tfoviih-s exfiert skills, and lets save on major eituipmntt "VVe've a long way keeping the ftoad Oepartmenl working ihe rwwb thai fwve tr arfk- and tired work, mili-dd at itiifrrnlii abie to talk Ilir Ifilu it "I Ihink gH ntrjtf Work. annl tn-tuf work, tfwts Former council room, is being remodeled LAKK JACKSON What to cuumi) The Optional Hoad direct contact with "to ttw the time commt.uuMM'ri, the) were et rtuwl wpervUlon, we have a number ot Tlirte health, enforifenjenl. (inanve, meeting room rapMliy converted iota aititr and now that the council using a site tn lire and tluttdintt The work in wing the, to tlaae trtlttviy trf City rta act) ttgt A A UacUhan tad high tut job they had eiuew ducting lor air WAS dwnc trf Mrt all trf the oocuMrd vvi. fiitu'c It I Jar livtti tlar i'lcotnl ttt the (mitre system fult) in oprratien. wtsen a drpartnwni head tvii (tfufabrtn.

he to ihe commuirr chartnun I hupe Ihfotfljh thtt thr? wtQ lake a itrealrr in county -wide tnr ol wnvr at thai i-eftw up ot Thu thrre aftrr a The whether thw prrnxi of actual cprt.it wo dimmed tin mhunuum tat ti hadn't The? Uili wme problrm.t. 44 id. bat arr now tevorafcfa- to Into nanr BARBS 1'HIL I'ASTOHKT Snurt folk ctuN Stupid way to a bllervr lo marry htm mur't trouble than mttttt 72 SPEOAl tmniO OFTIR! TUTION Off COME BY OR CALL Brazosport Beauty College Lake and Houston Intercontinental Schedules MIT i. Monday Throujh Friday County AJrpott to Interconttmntol 364 6.40AM MO AW Xt 1045 Ml IMiAM 1275PM Hi 376 4rliPH 445PU MO 1COPM 1.30PM InUrcoolinenUI to Brjwm County Airpon HI Air. 361 140AM 10.10AM K1 IhJiMllZMI'lJ 373 MiW M5PM 377 7.10 PU 311 JMPM 9JOPM Go to the Airport on an Airline HOUSTON METRO AIRLINES Flight time 30 Minutes Sunday Only nt Iff.

Arr. nt Isf, Arr. 1 MPM 373 M5PM 376 4.15PM 445PM 377 38Q 381 Hit Mtf MfMjr, AwW two hovrf phii on six) pirk frit it County Airport Ubi niihti irrlvt ind dtpart A. JOV CwiiiwnUI Alrllmt iDtKwMimnlil AJfpflfi Reservations Call 297-3071 An Airline Stmcei Bay.gdjjc Checked Ihrougli Wuiidwidc I tiki-ting i in All.